New Delhi: The Supreme Court dismissed Gudipalli Siddhartha Reddy’s petition in actress Pratyusha’s death case, upholding the High Court’s sentence and ordered him to surrender within four weeks.
This is a major breakthrough in the 23-year-old case, in which the accused has been asked to surrender.
Pratyusha’s rise in Telugu movies:
Pratyusha made her debut in 1998 with Telugu veteran star Mohan Babu and went on to act in several films, gaining recognition among Telugu audiences. Her life was tragically cut short when she attempted suicide along with her boyfriend in 2002.
Relationship with Siddharth Reddy:
The relationship with her boyfriend Siddharth Reddy became the focal point of her death. According to reports, both of them attempted to commit suicide by consuming pesticide in 2002, after their families opposed their romance. While Siddharth survived the attempt, 22-year-old Pratyusha died while undergoing treatment.
As per reports, Hyderabad Metropolitan Sessions Court sentenced Siddharth Reddy to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 5,000 on February 23, 2004 on charges of abetment to suicide and attempted suicide.
The High Court later reduced the sentence to two years and increased the fine to Rs 50,000. Not satisfied with the verdict, Pratyusha’s mother filed a petition in the Supreme Court in 2012, arguing that it was premeditated murder. The case has been under investigation since then in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court, which recently heard the case, reserved its verdict. It issued a verdict ordering Siddharth Reddy to surrender.